Senator Anyim Pius Anyim @ 61: The Man, His Journey And His Vision

Tricia Iwuoha

The timeless quote by Robert H. Schuller says “Tough times never last but tough people do”, this could be likened to Senator Anyim Pius Anyim’s struggles in his earlier years as well as his breakthroughs.

Senator Anyim Pius Anyim is a household name in Nigeria and globally. He holds the second highest national honour in Nigeria as Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON). He is a Christian, married to Barr. Chioma Anyim and is blessed with three children. He is a patriotic Nigerian, who upholds his national heritage wherever he goes, a rare trait that adds to his unique personality.

Anyim, who was born without a silver spoon, never showed any inkling of a man destined for greatness. Though the story of his earlier life may have been one fraught with several challenges, he was never deterred by the condition he found himself in, rather, with total reliance on God’s divine purpose for his life, he faced and conquered his challenges, to become who he is today, a source of inspiration and hope to many. Anyim has a lot to bring to the table and is that one Nigerian who can build the consensus required for generating patriotism to drive the country forward. He is one of the stabilising voices and a key reference point in the politics of Nigeria. His charismatic leadership qualities and wealth of experience are a few of many other attributes that make him eminently qualified to become President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

His Background

As a growing child, Anyim was faced with a life of lack and deprivation. He had to trek long distances to school, missed school sometimes because there was no money to pay his fees, went hungry for most of his school days and hawked bread in the village to earn extra income to augment what his parents could provide.

Born on February 19, 1961, in a rural community of Ishiagu, Ivo local government area of Ebonyi State, Sir Anyim obtained his primary education at Obioha Primary School, Amagu, Ishiagu in 1971 and his secondary education at St. John Bosco Secondary School, now Ishiagu High School and passed out in 1981. Between 1981 and middle of 1982, he worked as a clerk at Nigerian Breweries Headquarters in Lagos and thereafter enrolled at the Federal School of Arts and Science Aba for Higher School Certificate (HSC) but left after he gained admission to read law at the then Imo State University (Presently Abia State University Uturu), where he obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LL. B) Honours Degree in 1987. He proceeded to the Nigeria Law School and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1989 and had his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Sokoto State.  In 1996, he obtained his Master of Laws (LL.M) from University of Jos. From 1989 through 1992, he served as Social Justice Officer, and later combined that schedule with Head of the Legal Unit in the Chairman’s office at MAMSER National Headquarters in Abuja. From 1992 to 1997, he was Head of Protection Department, National Commission for Refugees, where he supervised the refugee eligibility process of the Commission, liaised with local and international organisations on all matters concerning refugees’ human rights, general protection and the creation of awareness on refugee matters in addition to advising the Chief Executive on the implementation of conventions on refugees.

.His Journey Into Politics

Anyim’s first arrival on the political scene was at a very youthful age of 37 years. He was the first elected Senator to represent Ebonyi South Senatorial District, on the platform of the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP), in 1998. The election strengthened Anyim’s belief that God orders the ways of man, so long, one is living in accordance with His will. Unknown to him, without resources for politics, his victory was at the expense of more experienced politicians.

On August 10, 2000, at the age of 39 years, he became the first ever youngest President of the 4th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As President of the Senate, he met a crisis-ridden and factionalised Senate. But with solid support and cooperation of other senators, they were able to stabilise the Senate, shore up public confidence in the Senate and the National Assembly, restore the independence, integrity and dignity of the legislature as the bastion of democracy.

Under his watch, the Senate became more focused, cohesive, confident, and productive. By the end of his tenure as President of the Senate in June 2003, the Senate was re-established as a stable and respected institution, a defender of democracy and a catalyst for good governance.

Ending his tenure as President of the Senate, he resolved not to seek re-election into the Senate, in order to set an example in statesmanship and to prove that political relevance and service to the people and country are very possible outside political office.

He however, remained active in the affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a member of the Party’s Board of Trustees, National Caucus and the National Executive Committee.

 In 2010, during the political impasse, occasioned by the indisposition of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua, he led 40 other patriots and leaders from across the federation on a save-our-nation intervention engagement with the National Assembly. Their timely intervention, together with the patriotic efforts of other Nigerians, helped to foster the needed consensus that gave birth to the Doctrine of Necessity, which pulled Nigeria back from the precipice and preserved the unity of the country.

In May 2011, he was appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), by President Goodluck Jonathan, thus, becoming the first non-career civil servant to serve as Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Nigeria.

Anyim discharged the responsibilities of his office as SGF, with uncommon patriotism and diligence. He effectively utilised his experience in managing inter-governmental affairs and wide contacts in the legislative arm to forge a strong working relationship between the Executive and the Legislature which engendered trust and a rancour-free partnership that delivered good governance and effective service delivery by the government.

After his appointment, two of his successors were chosen from outside the core civil service.

His Service To Humanity

Senator Anyim’s humble background which is glaring to all is the reason he is able to connect easily and naturally with ordinary Nigerians in their daily struggles to earn a living. This consciousness greatly influenced his founding and establishment of the “Chioma Anyim Foundation” in 2008. Through the auspices of the Foundation, Senator Anyim provides funds for various needs ranging from educational needs (scholarship funds) and other needs (philanthropic funds) as ways of rendering assistance to as many people as he can. The funds are also earmarked to support start-ups, housing and health needs and the up-keep for the old and the aged. Since its establishment, the foundation has recorded about 300 beneficiaries per year, from every part of the country.

His Presidential Bid

Senator Anyim’s decision to join the presidential race in 2023 is a welcome development and will be an opportunity for him to serve his people and country on a larger scale. Anyim who believes in building strong institutions, rather than personal pursuits of power or position, will no doubt apply his wealth of experience gathered in the last twenty-one years from his vantage positions in both the legislative and executive arms of government. This gives him an edge over his contenders, owing to the fact that he understands the national challenges and appreciates their enormity and peculiarities as well as the solutions needed to advance the cause of the country, especially at a time as this when Nigerians are in dire need of relief from the burdensome reality of this present day.